Ring out the old

PALESTINIAN lawmakers deserve kudos for their bold stance on new cabinet. The lawmakers have threatened to vote Prime Minister Ahmed Quorie out if he does not scrap the new cabinet. The members of Palestinian parliament refused to okay the line-up the PM presented on Monday demanding younger and cleaner individuals in place of the old guard of the Fatah in the proposed cabinet.

Published: Thu 24 Feb 2005, 9:09 AM

Last updated: Thu 2 Apr 2015, 6:43 PM

Most of the old faces in the cabinet are seen as corrupt and incompetent, and responsible for many a problem afflicting the Palestinian administration. The pressure from the lawmakers has forced PM Quorie to drop most of the old faces from the cabinet — many of them Arafat loyalists. The revamped cabinet, which will be put to vote today, is expected to include at least 10 new faces including Abbas loyalists Nasser Yousef and Mohammed Dahlan.

It is good to see the Palestinians are prepared to take courageous and necessary steps in accordance with the changing times. Ground realities of the 21st century demand a different and fresh approach. Majority of old players, who have developed vested interests, really do not belong in the new order. They did not make use of their opportunity to serve and make a difference to their people. Besides, they lack necessary courage and vision to deal with the new challenges and problems confronting the Palestinians.

Their approach and policy towards Israel, for instance, is different from the one being advocated by President Mahmoud Abbas. In addition to living under occupation, the Palestinians have had to suffer a great deal thanks to the ineptitude and corruption of their own leaders. A more responsive, more honest and dynamic leadership is what the Palestinians are looking for. Despite the daily odds they face, the Palestinians remain the most educated and enterprising in the Arab world. Given an opportunity, they would like to serve their people. The Palestinian leadership needs new blood to help it negotiate the challenges ahead.